Extension trackway for wardrobe trunks



March 11, 1947. R. A. TOTTY EXTENSION TRACKWAY FOR WARDROBE TRUNKS Filed May 4, 1944 2 Shets-Sheet 1 ROBERT A. TO IT) March 11, 1947. R. A. TOTTY 2,417,387

EXTENSION TRACKWAY FOR WARDROBE TRUNKS Fi led May 4, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 11, 1947 EXTENSION TRACKWAY FOR WARDROBE TRUNKS Robert A. Totty, Petersburg, Va.

Application May 4, 1944, Serial No. 534,071

3 Claims.

This invention is directed to an improvement in wardrobe trunks, and particularly of the type shown in Patent No. 1,597,883, issued August 31, 1926, with the further provision of means to facilitate the positioning of the successive garments.

Wardrobe trunks of the type with which the present invention is more particularly concerned are provided with means designed to be positioned beyond the front of the trunk and providing a garment receiving and hanging unit on which the garments may be placed in orderly arrangement, with means to retain the garments in such orderly arrangement within the body of the trunk and during transportation or storage of the trunk.

The construction of the garmentcarrying and holding means generally involves a folding frame, extensible into one position to receive the garments and then folded to exert a pressure on the garments to retain them in their selected positions. The foldable fram includes a pressure bar over which the garments must be lifted in positioning them on the frame. This pressure bar, while a virtual necessity in maintaining a proper disposition of the folding frame and for service in exerting pressure on the garments as finally positioned, when in effective position is directly in the way of the simple sliding application of the garments to the frame, and requires that each garment be lifted over such bar before it can be placed in position on the frame. This is not only inconvenient, but tends to a disarrangement of the garment being placed, requiring additional time to properly adjust the garment after it has been placed on the frame.

The primary object of the present invention is, therefore, the provision of means whereby the garment entrance to the supporting frame is entirely free of any obstruction during application of the garments, and this without sacrificing any advantage of the pressure bar as a brace for the garment frame or as a garment pressure element for the positioned garments.

More specifically the invention is directed to mounting the pressure bar for swinging connection with the garment carrying frame, locking means being provided for locking the pressure bar in place for its usual functions, following its displacement to permit convenient and direct placing of the garments on the frame.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view with the garment- Fig, 2 is a perspective View of a portion of a wardrobe trunk, with the garment-carrying elements in folded position to hold the garments, shown in outline, within the trunk.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the ends of the garment frame bars, with the pressure bar in operative position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on the line 55 of Fi 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail view partly in section and part ly in elevation of one of the joints.

Fig. '7 is a detailed sectional view on the line 1-4 of Fig. 6.

In order to provide a more complete understanding of the present invention, the general construction of the parts of the complete garment carrying unit will be given, it being understood, however, that in such description the details not directly concerned with the present invention are intended as illustrative only, and that the details of the invention per se are intended to be applied to and for use with any and all types of similar apparatus with which they may cooperate, either directly or with such changes as would involve mere mechanical skill.

v As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the wardrobe trunk l, of any desired or conventional form, is provided near the top with a frame F, preferably metal, riveted or otherwise securely anchored in position. This frame F, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is U-shaped in form with its intermediate bar i in contact with the bottom wall of the trunk l and its side bars l in contact with the side walls of the trunk. The bar I closely adjacent to the bars l is provided with the upstanding straps 2 to which are connected the inner ends of the garment-carrying bars 3. Each bar 3 is in two parts,

respect to the associated inner part 4. To provide for this movement in at least one serviceable form, the forward extremity of the parts 4 is longitudinally slotted, as at l, with a transverse pin 8 intersecting the outer end portion of said slot adjacent to the outer open end of the slot. The part 6 is terminally formed with an upward- 3 v ly facing hook end to engage from below a second pin ll carried by the part 4 and intersecting the slot 1. t

*The parts 6 of the garment carrying bars 3 may readily be movedto the rear limit of the slots 9, after swinging the parts 6 to disengage the hooks iii and pins Ii.

Whenthe parts 6 are moved to the opposite or forward limit of the 7 slots 1 and the hook ends ii! engaged with the pins H, the parts A and 6 are held in longitudinal alinement for the sliding reception of the garment hangers i2 on which the individual garments are supported. v

After the desired garments are in position and moved for support on the parts l of the gar-,

ment carrying bars, the parts 8 of such bars are released to permit downward swinging movement.

/ bar. The latch nose 33 has an uppermostfbeV- eled side or edge I) and the end portion of the I of the hanger 2d and the outturned end or lug 23- of the part 8 of the carrying bar, and is projected as a locking nose 33 into the space or socket; of the hanger 2i arranged to receive the pressure pressure bar It received within the socket of the hanger 2 i is formed with an opening 34 The purpose of this downward movement is to allow the pressure bar it at the outer or free ends of the parts i of the carrying bars 3 to bear on the garments with sufficient pressure to hold them in proper condition and place during handling of the trunk. In order that this pressure bar It may function regardless of the number of garments supported, means are provided to hold the bar 53 in proper pressure applying position, such means consisting, of keeper plates i i, formed with spaced openings E), into which the ends of locking bars iii are entered to retain the pressure bar-i3 in appropriate relation to the garments. v

The locking bars iii are alined on the front face of the pressure car it, slidably fitting openings in outturned ends ll of such pressure bar. The inner end portions of the looking bars :6 are slidabl'e within a sleeve 16* on the outer face of the pressure bar 3, at the center thereof. A spring 58 is interposed between the proximate ends of the locking bars it to normally bias such bars to locking position. Finger pins Iii, connected with the locking bars it within the length of the sleeve and projecting to the inner side of the pressure bar 13 through slots 28, provide for conveniently withdrawing the locking bars it from looking cooperation with the keeper plates It. I The present invention is designed to permit the individual garments to be directly and easily applied to or removed from the carrying bars 3 without obstruction to such operations. To this end the pressure bar it is pivotaliy connected by a pin 2% to an outturned end or lug 22 of part ii of one carrying bar 3, to permit the pressure har i3 to be swung on this carrying-bar part B, when otherwise free. The free extremity of the part 6 of the second carrying bar 3 is'formed 'with an outturned end or lug 23, identical with the part 22 previously referred to. A U-shaped hanger 24, Figure 4, is secured to the end or lug 23, one leg 25 of the hanger being secured in contact with the inner face of lug 23, while the other leg 26 of the hanger is arranged in spaced relation to the outer face of 111g 23, the

spacing being just sufiicient to receive the free end portion of the pressure bar iii. The cross bar 2'! of the hanger 2% supports the pressure bar 13 flush with the part B of the carrying bar 3, and the end portion of the pressure bar 13 fitting within the hanger 24 is provided with a fixed lug 28' to bear against one edge of the outer leg 25 of the hanger 24 when the pressure bar is in operative position, to thus accurately space the parts 6 of the carrying bars 3 relative to each .other., 7 r r v A casing 29 is secured to the outer face of the swung on its pivot 2|.

into which the latch nose $3 automatically enters when the pressure bar 53 is moved intooperative position.

said pressure bar may be readily lifted and bodily From. the above descriptionv it will be plain that'when the pressure bar i3 isrin' operative position, it serves allits contemplated functions, T

but that with the improved mounting described,

such pressure bar it when unlocked at one end may be swungon its pivot Zl and thus caused bars 3 and permit the garments vas arranged on their individual hangers 2 to be moved directly onto the carrying bars 3 and then rearwardly onto the fixed parts i of such carrying bars 3.

In the particular general formdescribed the garments on their hangers'are moved rearwardly on the parts 5 of the carrying bars 3 and onto the fixed parts i of such bars. When joint at i is broken, the parts 6 swing'downwardly and inwardly to cause the pressure bar [3 tobear against the glarmentssuspended from parts 4 of the carrying bars 3 to maintain such garments in smooth fiat; relation to each otherfnotwithstanding even unusual handling of the trunk. The locking bars iii are operated to permit their ends to engage in the proper openings l5 inthe keeper plates is to hold the pressure bar selected and proper pressure position. 7 In connection with the improved structure it will be noted that when the parts ii of the carrying bars 3 and the pressure bar i3 are turned down into garment retaining positions, the outturned ends 22 and 23 of these parts twill overlie and ride on the keeper plates M and thus prevent iany lateral play or rattling of the unit when in final position, regardless of trunk movement.

Having thus described the-invention, what is claimed as new is: l v r 1.,In' a garment storage unit adapted to be mounted within a. wardrobe trunk between two side walls thereof and including two garment carrying arms having parts relatively fixed with respect tosuch walls and parts pivotally supports ed from said fixed parts, means for aligning the pivot centers of the pivotedv parts, an outturned lug integral with the free end of each of the pivoted parts, adapted, upon folding movement of the pivoted parts, to be guided-over the concave e V edges ofthe keeperf lateaa one piece; pressurebar pivotally connected at one end with one'of. said lugs for swinging movement on anaxis ex- When the latch nose 3S is withdrawn from cooperation with the pressure bar l3,

tending longitudinally of the adjacent pivoted part and adapted to be swung to a position between the free ends of the pivoted parts to have it other end disposed in opposed relation with the other lug, means cooperating with the said other lug to form a hanger for the free end of the pressure bar, and means for releasably securing the said free end of the pressure bar in said hanger, said pressure b-ar carrying means for establishing a latching connection between its ends and the arcuate keeper plates when the pivoted parts of the carrying arms are swung out of alignment and into position between the said side walls of the trunk.

2. In a garment storage unit for use in ward robe trunks, including two garment carrying arms adapted to be mounted between two oppos-- ing walls of the trunk and each having a, fixed part and a pivoted part adapted to be swung to an operative aligned position with respect to the fixed part and an arcuate keeper plate secured to each of said walls concentric with the pivot of the adjacent pivoted part, a lug forming a laterally turned portion of the free end of each pivoted part and adapted to ride over the concave edge of the adjacent keeper plate upon the swinging of the pivoted part into the trunk from the stated aligned position, the free end of each lug being directed toward the adjacent wall, when in opposed relation with respect to the stated concave edge of the keeper plate, a rigid one piece pressure bar having an over-all length less than the distance between the free ends of the outturned lugs, a pivotal connection between the outer face of one lug and one end of said pressure bar, the other end of the pressure bar being adapted to be brought into position against the outer face of the other lug, with the outturne-d ends of the lugs extending beyond the ends of the pressure bar, the said ends of the pressure bar being outwardly turned to form ears adapted to have operative opposed relation with respect to the inner faces of the keeper plates when the pivoted parts are swung inwardly from the stated aligned positiommeans for releasably connecting the said other end of the pressure bar with the said other lug, and means carried by the pressure bar for projection beyond the said ears for latching connection with the keeper plates, the lugs and the adjacent ears cooperating to form an angle with which the adjacent keeper plate cofor locking said pressure bar in and relative to said socket, said socket including a U-shaped hanger on the carrying bar having one side outwardly spaced from one surface of such bar to snugly receive the end portion of the pressure bar, and a lug carried by the pressure bar and adapted to engage an edge of the hanger to adjust the relation between the end of the carrying bar and the end of the pressure bar, when the latter is within the socket.

ROBERT A, TGTTY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,3827 01 Wheary June 28, 1921 1,639,790 Wheary Aug. 23, 1927 1,597,888 House Aug. 31, 1926 313,942 Knauer Mar. 17, 1835 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date French Mar. 17, 1885 

